Coal Black Blues (19 page)

Caroline shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I just want to get there.”

When they hit the interstate, Will drove even faster. Caroline gripped the dash with taut fingers, but she didn’t complain about the speed. Any other time, she would’ve been terrified, but her desire to reach Neil’s side outweighed her common sense and overruled fear. Sometimes she gazed at the scenery whizzing past in an effort to maintain calm and sometimes Caroline peered ahead. Much of the time en route she could see the convoy of ambulances carrying Neil and some of the other miners toward Charleston. They arrived not long after the ambulances did.

Will parked in a multi-level garage and complained about the fee. Together they rushed into the hospital and found the Trauma Center. Rob waited near the entrance, cell phone in hand. “I haven’t found out anything yet,” he told them. “They’re overwhelmed between the miners and a big wreck west of here.”

As they paused to speak with Rob, Caroline saw her reflection in the entrance doors. Her hair had gone wild, sticking out in several directions. Her face and the front of her coat had black streaks of coal dust from hugging Neil. Patches of blood from his injured hands spotted her coat and smudged her cheek. When she extended her hands, she saw how dirty they were. Rob said her name and when she ignored him, he spoke louder.

“Caroline, what are you waiting for?”

“I look a sight,” she said, aware she’d reverted to her earliest dialect. All three were bedraggled but she looked the worst.

Will McCullough stared at her as if he hadn’t noticed her appearance until now. He probably hadn’t. “You can’t see Neil like that. He’d pitch a fit and worry.”

She halted just inside the lobby doors. “I can try to wash up, but I don’t think it’ll help much. If I’d thought about it, I’d had you stop at the house so I could clean up and grab fresh clothes. I don’t even have a hair brush.”

Caroline wasn’t a woman who cried easy or often but tears threatened. Rob must have seen it in her expression because he offered, “Maybe I can go somewhere and buy you a few things.”

Will shook his head. “No, I’ll just call Suzie Q. I should have thought about it sooner.”

“Who?” Caroline and Rob asked the question together. Will grinned.

“Your cousin Susan,” he told her. “Rob, go see if you can find out anything about your brother. I’ll call and then take Carrie over there.”

She started to protest but didn’t. One more glance at her stained coat silenced her.

“Let’s go, then,” Caroline said. “I need to get back as soon as I can.”

“I’ll go get the truck, then.”

Will walked away, phone to his ear, and although Caroline wanted to stay, she knew she had to go. “If you see Neil before I do,” she told Rob. “Tell him I love him.”

Before Neil’s brother could answer, she headed outside. The sooner she left, the quicker she would return.

Chapter Twenty-One

Will picked her up at the curb and every aching muscle in Caroline’s body protested as she climbed into the truck. Sometime very soon she needed to eat and sleep, but she would do neither until she saw Neil again nor had reassurance he would be fine.

“Did you talk to Susan?”

“Yeah, I did. She said bring you on over and once you’re cleaned up, she’ll bring you back to the hospital.”

“Why did you call her Suzie Q?”

He laughed, a little. “It’s from a song, one Credence Clearwater Revival covered. She heard it once and loved it. So I started calling her that. Everybody our age did. You and Neil were behind us in school so maybe you don’t remember. I’m surprised you recollect anything ’cause all you saw back then was Neil. You broke his heart when your mamma took you away from here.”

Hearing it evoked a wave of grief for the time they’d lost. “It broke mine, too, Will. I didn’t want to go.”

“I understand that.” He remained silent for a few minutes as they traveled through the dark streets of Charleston. He apparently knew where Susan lived so Caroline didn’t bother to tell him. “I’m just glad you came back, for Neil’s sake.”

Will pulled up in front of Susan’s four-square house on the east side of Charleston, an older neighborhood undergoing an amazing revitalization, and cut the engine. “I’m heading back to the hospital. I’ll call you if there’s any news. I gotta go home before long. I need to sleep and check on my wife. I’ll see you soon, Carrie.”

He treated her like kinfolk and she appreciated it. To her, he was family because he was Neil’s cousin. “Thank you, Will,” she said and walked up the steps to meet her cousin on the porch.

Susan stretched her hands in greeting. “I’m glad Will got in touch with me. I tried to call you all weekend, but I couldn’t get you on your cell because of the mountains. How’s Neil?”

“He’s alive. And he’s at the hospital.”

“Come on inside and you can get cleaned up. The kids are in their rooms and Dave is at the store, so you’ll have the bathroom all to yourself. I laid out some of my clothes on my bed. Borrow whatever you want. I think we’re the same size, still. When you’re ready, I’ll take you back to the hospital. I know you want to be there with Neil.”

Caroline followed her cousin into the house. In the front parlor, a tall Christmas tree towered over the room and sparkled with decorations. A faux evergreen garland trimmed with red bows turned the banister on the stairs festive. She climbed the steps and followed Susan into one of the front bedrooms. Several pairs of jeans and slacks were on the bed, along with two sweaters, two long-sleeved blouses, and a sweatshirt. A package of new panties and a brand new bra were there, too, along with two pairs of socks. “You didn’t have to go buy anything,” Caroline said.

Susan smiled. “I didn’t. I just hadn’t opened them yet. Go ahead, pick out whatever you want. The bathroom is yours. There’s plenty of shampoo, body wash, soap, and anything you might need. I also put out a brand new toothbrush for you. I always have a few in the cabinet.”

Alone in the bathroom, Caroline stripped off her filthy clothing and put them in the bag Susan had left for her. She stepped into the shower and turned it on full blast, as hot as she could stand. The water pounded her weary body and she savored the sensation. She shampooed her hair, then scrubbed until she felt clean. After that, she stood and let the water flow over her, sobbing all the tears she’d kept within, releasing the days and hours of fear. She let her emotions go so she could be strong for Neil.

Caroline chose a pair of gray jeans with a bright-blue sweater. She dried her hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. She studied her reflection in the mirror, noted the dark circles and puffy skin beneath her eyes. Then she headed downstairs to find Susan, carrying her dirty laundry.

“You look great,” Susan told her.

“Maybe for someone who hasn’t slept since Friday night,” she returned. “I’m ready, whenever you are.”

“Let me fix you something to eat.”

Caroline shook her head. “I’ll get something at the hospital, later.”

Susan frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I just need to get there and find out how Neil is doing.”

“Do you want to borrow a coat or jacket? I’ve got plenty.”

“No, thanks but I appreciate the offer. I won’t be outside.”

“Dave’s home and the kids are in bed, so let’s roll.”

“Thank you, for everything,” Caroline told her cousin.

“You’re family. It’s what we do.”

At the hospital, Caroline found Will asleep in the trauma center waiting room. She took a seat beside him. If anything had changed, he wouldn’t be here, so she didn’t wake him and waited. Others filled the seats, some she recognized from Coaltown and many she didn’t. Her eyes ached, heavy with fatigue, but she fought against drowsiness. She counted the tiles in the floor, silently recited the alphabet backward, and texted Rob. She presumed he must be with Neil. After a long stretch of time, a nurse emerged from behind the closed doors.

“Who’s here for Neil McCullough?”

Caroline poked Will, who roused and stood up. “We are.”

The nurse beckoned them over. “One of you can go back with him if you want. He’s in number five.”

Will scrubbed his face with one hand. “Go ahead, Carrie. He’s your man.”

The old-fashioned phrase touched her and she grasped his hand in thanks. Then she followed the nurse.

Neil lay on the exam table, curled on one side, with his eyes shut. His face gleamed pale and clean although he remained unshaved. An oxygen mask was in place over his nose and mouth. His hands had been bandaged. Rob sat in the single straight chair against the opposite wall. “He’s been asking where you were. Don’t let him fool you. He’s awake, just playing possum.”

On cue, Neil opened his eyes and beneath the mask, she saw his smile. Caroline crossed the floor and kissed his forehead. “Hey.”

She stroked back his hair out of his face, fingers gentle. Right now, she needed to touch him. He said something, but she couldn’t make it out from beneath the mask. When he realized it, he jerked the oxygen away. “Carrie. Kiss me.”

Caroline did, touching her mouth to his with tenderness. Neil kissed her back and sighed.

“If the nurse sees you took it off again, she’ll fuss,” Rob said. “You can talk to her later.”

Neil nodded. “Stay, Carrie,” he said as he slid the oxygen back over his face.

“I will, sugar.” She turned to Rob. “What did the doctors say?”

“He had some trouble breathing, hence the oxygen,” Rob told her. “His lungs are a little congested, but they’re not sure if that’s from his recent pneumonia, exposure in the mine, or from carbon monoxide poisoning. But his vitals are good and they’re sending him up to a standard room as soon as they get one ready. His hands are a mess, but the nurse cleaned and bandaged them. He’s dehydrated, which is no wonder. Overall, the general prognosis is that he’ll recover. They’ll keep him a day or two, but he should be able to go home after that.”

The tight ball she’d carried in her chest for days slackened. “That sounds like a plan.”

Rob nodded. He appeared as weary as she was. “Yes, it does. I’ll probably go home when he does. He should be home before Christmas.”

Neil’s bandaged hand grasped hers and held tight. “Good. What happened to his hands, do you know?”

“I’ll let him tell you,” Rob said with a smile. “It’s his to share. Oh, and it’s no surprise, but the doctor strongly suggested he doesn’t go back to the mine. He needs a new occupation.”

Caroline smiled. “He already has one. He’s going to run the store with me.”

Rob grinned. “Is that so? I think that’s a great plan.”

Neil gave them thumbs up with his free hand.

She lifted the hand she held to her lips and kissed the back of it. “Does Will know any of this yet?”

“No, but I’ll go tell him. Then I’m heading over to that Holiday Inn I saw and get a room. I’m exhausted. I’ll be back in the morning, brother.”

Neil nodded and closed his eyes. Caroline stroked his hair. She had so many questions and so much to tell, but they could wait.

By midnight, Neil had been transferred to a room upstairs. Will had gone home to rest and to spend time with his family. Rob, as far as Caroline knew, was sound asleep in a room at the Holiday Inn. She sat in the room’s single chair, shoes off, hair falling free, and eyes closed. Thanks to Will, the staff apparently believed Neil was her husband and since staying hinged on that fact, Caroline wasn’t about to tell them any different. Will had brought her a cheeseburger before he headed home. The nursing staff provided her with a pillow and thin blanket once they realized she had no intention of leaving Neil’s side.

The oxygen mask had been replaced with a nasal canula. Several IVs were attached to Neil’s right arm, one delivering an antibiotic and the other to hydrate. He’d been given a sedative so he would sleep, and nurse predicted he wouldn’t wake until sometime in the morning.

“When he does, he can have ice and water if he asks for it,” she told Caroline. “We’re waiting for doctor’s orders on food.”

Caroline craved sleep. Once Neil had been settled down, she snuggled against the pillow and wrapped in the blanket. With Neil stabilized and with a little warm food in her belly, she relaxed. She adjusted to the quiet sounds of the hospital, the soft beeps of the monitors, the faint hiss of the oxygen, the light footsteps of staff in the hallway, and Neil’s regular breathing. Drowsiness settled over her, thick and heavy, and she succumbed into sleep.

No dreams came, but she woke with a start, shoulders stiff and momentarily uncertain about the unfamiliar surroundings. Caroline blinked twice and shook her head to clear it as she remembered where she was and why.

“Carrie, I’m thirsty,” Neil said. His voice sounded deeper than usual and gravely. He must have spoken before and his voice had roused her.

She poured water from the carafe on his tray and used the bendable straw so he could drink. He finished the cup and asked for more. “Thanks,” he said when he had finished.

“How do you feel?” she asked. “You look a lot better.”

Neil gave her his best bright, wide grin. “I’ll live.”

Caroline’s hands shook as she put down the cup. He’d said it in a lighthearted way, but it hit her hard. “I was so afraid you wouldn’t, Neil.”

He reached out his left hand to touch her. “But I did, Carrie, and I will. The feeling I had, it’s all gone.”

She sat on the edge of the narrow bed facing him. “I’m glad you’re over the coal black blues.”

His eyes were keen and his gaze didn’t waver as he said, “You said that before, coal black blues. It’s from an old song, right?”

“Yes, my granny sometimes sang it.”

“I think mine had it on an old, old record.”

“She probably did.”

“I’m over the coal mines, too.” His voice remained soft but he emphasized the words.

“So you’re going to run the store with me?”

“Yeah, if you think I’ll be any help at all.” If she hadn’t known he was teasing, his words would have cut deep. “Long as you’ll put up with my PTSD and all these other ills I seem to have.”

“You know I will.” Caroline took both his hands and brushed the bandages gently. “What happened?”

Neil shook his head. “It don’t matter.”

“It does to me and Rob said to ask you.”

He stared at the wall opposite his hospital bed for a few long moments and sighed.

“If I don’t tell you, somebody will but it’s not a big deal. When the explosion happened, it trapped us on the other side from the first crew. The noise about broke my eardrums and I couldn’t hear nothing for a few minutes. Debris hit us and a big cloud of dust about choked us all out. I started coughing and I headed away from all of that. And the rest followed me.”

The story emerged in a calm, level tone, but Caroline could imagine it very well.

“Where did you go?”

“Deeper back into the mine, away from the falling roof and anything unstable,” he told her. “I’ve worked there long enough to know the layout, so I headed for an old side tunnel. I figured if the whole place came down, we might get trapped but not crushed. Our phones and radios wouldn’t work. By the time we got there, we were crawling on our hands and knees. We hit a dead end and the air was getting bad fast. If we stayed there for very long, I knew we’d just curl up and die so I found one of the air vents.”

She didn’t understand and said so.

Neil sighed. “I’ll try to explain, honey. The newer tunnels were built with ventilation systems, some with fans and all, but the old ones that were hand dug a long time ago had air shafts, just a hole cut through the rock to let outside air come inside. I had enough light from my head lamp to find one but over the years, it had got plugged up with dirt. So I dug it out using my hands until we could smell the fresh air and feel it on our faces. I couldn’t use any of the tools because it wouldn’t have worked. We stayed there for a long time, but in the small space, even with the air coming in, we were using it up. So we stumbled back the way we came, hoping and praying, until one of the guys thought he heard voices and noise. So we backtracked to where we’d been working and the rescue crews dug us out.”